Thursday, February 22, 2018

Book Review: 'An Involuntary Spy Series Box Set One' by Kenneth Eade

Kenneth Eade may be best known to readers as the author of BLESS THE BEES: THE PENDING EXTINCTION OF OUR POLLINATORS AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO STOP IT, and A BEE, SEE: WHO ARE OUR POLLINATORS AND WHY ARE THEY IN TROUBLE? - two superlative books about his concern for our environment – both ecological and humanitarian - a topic he takes to the top level in this superb novel. Eade is an international business lawyer, based in Los Angeles, specializing in international law, Internet Law, appeals and complex litigation. He is a member of the Bar of California, the federal District Court for the Central District of California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. He holds a Juris Doctor in Law from Southwestern University School of Law, and a B.A. in Liberal Studies from California State University, Northridge. He is also an accomplished filmmaker and a freelance writer for the Los Angeles Daily Journal and an environmentalist.

And given this introduction it should not come as a surprise that he now adds the crown of rising suspense thriller to his resume. THE INVOLUNTARY SPY takes his concern about environmental concerns, weaves that into a story about the dangers of genetically engineered food, teaches the reader about GMO (`A genetically engineered organism, or GMO, as it is commonly referred to, is a plant or animal of one species whose DNA is genetically altered in a laboratory by inserting into it genes from a different species, in order to breed a trait in that organism that does not exist in nature.'), and then further informs us how the government is covering up such information from the public for the sake of favoring the corporate wealthy. That amount of information is sufficient to draw the interest of every reader (or should), but Kenneth Eade now takes it further and creates a novel that is so well written and so intriguing that it seems to be waiting for the motion picture industry to sniff it out.

Eade begins his novel in medias res with our hero, biologist Seth Rogan, aboard a flight to Russia where he is seeking asylum from the US government for his activities in uncovering the corruption and fraud surrounding his leaking data the government considers secret. Think Edward Snowden.... His flight sets down in the Ukraine, he meets his bodyguard Yuri who transports him to the Russian Embassy and from there the tension mounts until the title of the book explains the denouement and resolution. The add to this the next step he offers in TO RUSSIA FOR LOVE and appreciate the polish of his ingenious skill at character depiction.

Eade's skill with writing dialog is brilliant. His technique for propelling a story forward is second to none. Bind a controversial subject about the environment, the unraveling problems of US governmental secrecy, the transparency of the Internet, and a good old-fashioned thriller and you have Kenneth's next step into prominence in the public's eye. He just simply has this set of two grand novels down pat. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, November 15

Editor's note: This review has been published with the permission of Grady Harp.Like what you read? Subscribe to the SFRB's free daily email notice so you can be up-to-date on our latest articles. Scroll up this page to the sign-up field on your right.